Mark Burson, MBA, Associate Broker

Water Restrictions in Atlanta North's Cobb County

Mark Burson — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 17:33:00 GMT

On February 6, 2008, Governor Sonny Perdue mandated that water use in 61 counties in North Georgia during the period from April – September 2008 be reduced to a level equivalent to 90% of the average use for the months April – September 2007. As Cobb County recognizes the need during this historic drought to preserve our water resources, several actions have been taken by County agencies including limitations on fire flow testing, total ban on outdoor irrigation, and the retrofitting of County buildings with low flow plumbing fixtures. The following represents a Drought Response Plan to serve as the basis for Cobb’s efforts to comply with the Governor’s updated mandate. As the current drought is a changing situation and the seasons greatly impact water use and commercial needs, Cobb County will revisit the existing Drought Plan if changes in conditions or in the water resource occur. Any exemptions granted in the Cobb County Drought Response Plan are subject to change if the drought worsens or the resource becomes stressed. Beginning March 1, 2008 as indicated below, limited watering of existing landscape by hand will be permitted. Beginning April 1, 2008. Pools may be filled under the new policy.	Links:
	Governor Perdue Orders Utilities, Permit Holders to Reduce Water Use by 10 Percent Cobb Water System Cobb EMA Cobb-Marietta Water Authority Cobb Water Efficiency Page GEMA Page Georgia Drought Lake Levels (Corps of Engineers) Metro N. Georgia Water District NOAA Drought Info Page NOAA Rain Deficit Info Page Red Cross Drought Information
	Information and Downloads:
	Cobb Water Efficiency Audit Household Water Assessment 100 Water Saving Tips Conservation Fact Sheet Every Drop Counts Pick 10 Gallons a Day
Residential Customers 1. Two tiers for high water users will remain in place: 30,000 Gallons - 49,000 Gallons $3.78/1,000 gallons 50,000 and above $5.40/1,000 gallons 2. The “Pick 10” Campaign will be continued for residents encouraging indoor conservation tips. 3. A toilet rebate program has been successfully initiated, and more than 1500 rebates have been issued since November 1, 2007. The program will continue throughout this year and funding will be reallocated annually for the program. 4. With respect to outdoor water allowances beyond Level 4, and the new exemptions established by the State of Georgia, please see the comments regarding landscaping, pools, water waste, and pressure washing below. Landscaping 1. Effective March 1, 2008, hand watering, defined as one person with one hose with a shut off nozzle, will be allowed for 25 minutes a day, on the odd/even watering schedule. Even and unnumbered addresses may water Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays and odd addresses may water on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays between the hours of 4:00 AM and 9:00 AM. Irrigation systems may not be run under this exemption. 2. Effective April 1, 2008, an exemption is provided for new landscape installations (excluding aeration and over seeding). a. These new installations may be watered for a period of 10 weeks following installation on the odd/even watering schedule. b. Only newly - installed landscaping may be watered by irrigation system; all other watering must follow the hand watering exemption. c. Irrigation systems may be used to water newly - installed landscaping, but only between the hours of 4:00 AM and 9:00 AM. d. In order to qualify for a new landscape exemption, the customer must enroll in the Urban Agriculture Council’s online Water Conservation Class at www.urbanagcouncil.com. Forms obtained from the course along with a Cobb County Landscape Exemption form , and a purchase receipt , must be sent to: The Water Efficiency Program 660 South Cobb Dr. Marietta, GA 30060 Or Faxed to 770-419-6478 e. Only one new landscape exemption (as discussed above) will be permitted per planting season per residence. Planting season is defined as September – March, and April - August. f. Failure to submit the forms and receipt may result in a water ban violation and possible discontinuation of an irrigation account. g. Aeration and over - seeding will not qualify for a new landscape exemption at this time. 3. Effective April 1, 2008, new home construction will have 10 weeks to water newly installed landscape on the above odd/even schedule, for the purpose of erosion and sedimentation control. A builder may choose to heavily mulch a property instead, until water conditions improve. 4. Irrigation- only accounts found in violation of the outdoor restrictions will be terminated and locked off until the end of Drought Response Level 4. 5. Effective March 1, 2008, rates for irrigation - only accounts will be equal to the top tier of residential use ($5.40/thousand gallons). Pools 1. Effective April 1, 2008, public and private pools, previously prohibited in Drought Response Level 4, will be permitted to open and be topped off as necessary for maintenance. 2. Effective April 1, 2008, new pools will be permitted to be filled with municipal water. Permits issued for new pool construction will no longer read “must be filled by an alternate source of water.” 3. New pool permits will stipulate that pool covers are mandatory for all new pools in Cobb County. Pools must be covered during the off season, rather than drained. 4. Pools should not be drained for cleaning and maintenance prior to being opened. Due to limited water resources, chemical treatment should be used to resolve maintenance issues. 5. If chemical treatment cannot be used, the pool company must apply for a variance to allow the pool to be drained and refilled. Variances should be submitted to: Water Efficiency Program 660 South Cobb Dr. Marietta, GA 30060 Fax # 770-419-6478 6. Failure to comply with the above pool policy may result in a penalty.

The Effect of McMansioning on homes and culture in a neighborhood.

Mark Burson — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 13:34:00 GMT

What impact is the sudden McMansioning of the neighborhood going to have on the value of a home? And will the super-sizing of nearby homes have any affect on the neighborhood's culture?

Despite the soft real-estate market homeowners are still investing in their homes. Growth in spending for home-improvement projects is expected to increase by 3% for 2007, and spending is expected to remain constant through the first quarter of 2008, according to Harvard University's Leading Indicator for Remodeling Activity. I would suspect a good percentage of this spending is by current home owners preparing or “staging” their properties for sale.

When shopping for homes, the general rule of thumb is to avoid buying the largest home in the neighborhood. A home that's much bigger than other homes in the neighborhood will typically sell for less than the original purchase price vs. that same home being in a neighborhood with equally large homes. Why? Recent home sales help determine the fair-market value of your home. If no comparably large homes have been sold in your area, it may be difficult to convince home buyers that the larger home is worth considerably more than recent sales of smaller homes in the neighborhood.

On the other hand, having a medium-sized house in a neighborhood with much larger homes can boost its resale value. Where larger, more expensive homes are now more common than another home, a neighbors' home renovations should help to improve your home's value. Adding to its value is the lot size -- with an acre of land there's plenty of room for a homebuyer to add on to the home. Even homes on smaller lots are not locked in where “building up” (adding another story) is structurally and permit possible.

“People who are shopping for homes in a certain neighborhood expect certain amenities in those homes”, says Kermit Baker, director of the remodeling futures program at Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies. "If you're not keeping up with other homes in the neighborhood, you may have home buyers walk away from it," he says. "There's a limited number of folks who want to buy assuming they're going to have to do a significant remodeling project."

Harvard University's Mr. Baker says it's less clear how cultures are affected when major home improvements are made in more affluent neighborhoods. "A lot of times when homeowners begin to make big home improvements other homeowners will update their homes as well," he says. So generally little actually changes in terms of the neighborhood's culture.

Bottom line it is in your interest to at least be aware of home remodeling in your area and trends affecting upgrades in interior and exterior design.

Realtor Move to Atlanta

Mark Burson — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 16:13:00 GMT

When you have 34 years of experience in an area real estate market it is no small decision to move from that area to another. Why would one do such a thing? To put it into one word...... love. It is true that I love the real estate business, but not why I made the move to the North Atlanta market. Is it the love of a more lucrative market with bigger homes, more listings, more sales? No....when you have been at this as long as I have, it's not about the money. By now you have guessed it. Yes, it is the love of a person with whom one would share a life. Why not make that person move? Well, you do have to be considerate of others. In the real estate business, if you are successful, you will continue to be successful where ever you are. She, too, has roots and is in real estate. I'm not hesitant about the move at all because I bring to Atlanta all the tools, knowledge, and proformance needed to continue to be successful in real estate; so, if you are considering a move.... consider this: You, too, are successful where ever you are. Now, if that move means you will need the best Realtor you can find? (Don't trip over the obvious here!) The best Realtor now lives and is working in Atlanta. Ga. Go ahead..... make me prove it..... I'll make your day! You can find me on the web at www.markburson.com .